Silver Raleigh - unknown model

[Clipper_2018]

Hi, I'm new here - old bugger, young at heart.

Amongst my bicycles are three Raleighs, including this one - my rat-bike - which I have owned for some 24 years. It was already well used by the time I acquired it from the local tip in 1994, so it's probably late 1970s or early 1980s.

It's about to get yet another refurb' and is due travel with me on my next trip to Jersey CI. I'm out there pretty regularly and need something better than a friend's much younger ATB which is too small, too heavy and as rusty as any bike I've ever seen.



The only markings on this bike are a Raleigh badge on the head tube (proper one with rivets) and that black stripe on the seat tube, broken by a big red "1". There's nothing on the top tube or down tube.

So here's the question: Are there any Raleigh experts out there who can tell me which model this is?

The best I can come up with is "Medale" but I can't find any piccies of one exactly the same. Does the red "1" possibly denote one of TI Raleigh's Tour de France wins?

[Brucey]

the hubs and cranks (at least, possibly other parts too) will have marks on that denote the year of manufacture. IIRC the hub marks are easier to understand. If you look online for a Raleigh catalogue for that year and the year after, you should find your model. IIRC there is a fair selection of such catalogues on the retrobike website.

cheers

[PT1029]

Paint (grey/black) looks like a Raleigh Winner (though I'm not sure if the Winner has the seat tube decals). If it is, a lot of parts are not original. Bars/stem/BB/cranks fit as original, a Winner would have solid axle small flange Maillard hubs, probably steel rims.
I can't remember if the Winner had center pulls or side pulls.
No matter, it won't be long before one comes along for repair at work for me to check!

Cheers

[Bsteel]

From the 1983 catalogue the seat tube decals look correct for the Raleigh Winner.
Veterancycleclublibrary

[Clipper_2018]

Thanks all. The catalogue seems to nail it as a "Winner" though there's no trace of the top-tube/down-tube decals.

I've been cleaning and adjusting today and discovered the frame number to be "NP3xxxxxx", indicating Nottingham, Nov 1983.

Much of the bike is indeed not original. On acquisition from the local tip (£10.00 IIRC), it was a very incomplete wreck.

The drive train was 10 speed but the entire front shifter mechanism was missing. I fitted a NOS Altus changer I had bought several years earlier, and had to fork out a few quid on a cheap bar-mounted lever; left-hand down-tube lever was (and still is) just a stump. I'd like to fix that some time.

No brakes were fitted and I ended up with a Weinemann 500 side-pull front and a Landar centre-pull rear - both from the parts collection. Similarly, seat & alloy post.

The catalogue indicates that :

• wheels should be small-flanged but the large-flanges fitted are interesting. Rims are Sturmey Archer "Mistral" 630-17 (27 x 1¼). Front hub is Maillard and rear hub is Pelissier (yay!).
• rear mech should be Huret but a Suntour VX is fitted. I think it came with the frame but can't remember for sure.

Blackburn low-rider front rack was fitted some time later - taken from my tandem.

New "Northroad" alloy bars & grips are on order (drops are no good for my old back). Also new inner tubes and road rubber front and back.

It is, and will continue to be, a real bitza. Nothing fancy except possibly the Pelissier hub. But as I said, it's my rat-bike and will soon be my Jersey rat-bike.

[Clipper_2018]

I don't suppose Raleigh ever intended this teen racer to be an old man's sit-up-and-beg, but here it is with new bars, grips, bell, brake cables, brake levers, gear levers and tyres.

Also a good clean up and plenty of oil and grease all round.

I could go further but think I'll stop here.



BTW: It's a good ride.

[crazydave789]

defo a raleigh winner my mates got some for xmas early 80s.

it came after the arena.

[Clipper_2018]

defo a raleigh winner my mates got some for xmas early 80s.

Sounds like Raleigh were putting Winners out at an attractive price.

Looking on the web, the Arena is actually a better looking bike.

[Grarea]

Ah, that brings back memories.
I think my friend had one of those when we were at school.

I much preferred my Raleigh Arena too.

[crazydave789]

Ah, that brings back memories.
I think my friend had one of those when we were at school.

I much preferred my Raleigh Arena too.

knowing what I knew a couple of years later though I should have got the dawes fox more gears and better frame.

then BMXs came out and ruined the bike sheds.

[Grarea]

Yes, my next one was a Dawes.
A super lightning I think it was.

BMXs.....
Pah....

I have never understood them.

[crazydave789]

Yes, my next one was a Dawes.
A super lightning I think it was.

BMXs.....
Pah....

I have never understood them.

I had to ride my brothers once - damn near killed me after ten minutes.

it used to be funny watching them whizzing about jumping up and down the ramps they'd made on the way home but I still got home in time for dangermouse.

I remember one lad near me whose dad brought him a bike back from the states, it was like a big BMX with springs and things. around 82-83 - of course now I know it was essentially a mountain bike but the lad got some stick from the burner brigade.